Chapter 38

It was the next day as Leilani was walking through the festival looking for Franklin. She quickly found him as he was giving directions to a family. He looked happy to help as they waved as they left. Leilani watched as she remembers a little Franklin as he had crouches on his right arm, while being small and thin. But he smiled as he was giving direction to tourist who were in town.

"Mom…?" Said Franklin as Leilani snapped out of her daze.

"Oh, Franklin." Said Leilani.

"Did you get lost?" Franklin asked.

"Oh, no. I was actually looking for you. Do you have time to talk?" Leilani asked.

It was moments later as they both got coffee and were sitting together.

"What did you want to talk about?" Franklin asked.

"What do you think of me?" Leilani asked.

"What do you mean?" Franklin asked.

"Am I a good mother? Am I good person to you? Or do you hate me?" Leilani asked.

"I don't know what to think of you. You're my mom. That I know. But at one moment, you did make me feel like I was…nothing. The way you looked at me that day. I thought you'd be happy to see me. But all I saw was horror and hate in your eyes." Said Franklin as he remembered that day.

"I don't blame you if you do hate me. Franklin, you have to understand that I was coming to terms with your death. And see you again…I just couldn't believe it. Because I refused to believe it. All I could see was a fake and not my son." Said Leilani as she teared up.

"Is that what you still see?" Franklin asked.

"No! I that's not what I mean." Said Leilani.

"But that's what you said! I invited you and dad here to talk and work this out. But you both argue immediately. I…I just want you guys to be my parents. I don't care if your together or not. I want everything to go back to the way it was. But I guess it's too much to ask." Said Franklin as he started walking away.

"Franklin, wait! Please! Stay, we talk about it." Said Leilani.

"Then answer me this. Do you still see me as your son?" Franklin asked.

Leilani didn't respond as she looked down as Franklin kept on walking. Leilani started to cry as Fredrick was nearby as he heard everything. He then approached Leilani as he stood on one knee with his hand out to her.

"I think we should talk." Said Fredrick.

Meanwhile, we see Alejandra, Jasper's sister, with Hector as they were looking at shirts being sold. Alejandra grabbed a man's hoodie as Hector looked confused.

"Why are you grabbing that?" Hector asked.

"I'm getting some for my parents. And one for Jasper." Said Alejandra.

"Oh, I thought you were going to wear it." Said Hector.

"I mean, maybe at home. It's big enough to cover me." Said Alejandra.

"(I'd love to see that) Uh, I guess." Said Hector as he blushed.

Alejandra reached out, until she touched another's hand as it Xoc, from San Teresa, and her twin brother Cadmael at her side.

"O, Perdon." Said Xoc.

"Uh, no. It's fine. Hey, aren't you two in the tournament?" Alejandra asked as they spoke in Spanish.

"Yes, actually." Said Xoc, while Cadmael poked his head over Xoc's shoulder.

"Hey, she's really pretty. Introduce me." Cadmael whispered.

"Ugh, loser. I'm Xoc. And this is my brother Cadmael." Said Xoc.

"Uh, hello. Nice to meet someone who can speak Spanish. Especially someone who is pretty as you." Said Cadmael.

"Oh, thanks. You don't look that bad yourself." Said Alejandra as she brushed her hair.

"I can't believe this is happening." Said Xoc.

"You and me both." Said Hector, annoy and appeared out nowhere.

It was later that morning as the third challenge was about to start. Everyone in the crowd were cheering for the school as we see Ms. Park, Sister Madeline, Mr. Welling and Mrs. Bautista out in the arena as they stood in front of a long table. Three students stood in front of them, while there was bag on the table. In team Salem was Ana, Daniel and Yuan. In team Thunderbird was Levi Gagnon, Nora Leblanc and Ava. In team San Teresa was Alicia Martinez, Xoc and Cadmael Canul. And in the team North Winchester were Faye Morgan, Patricia and Robin Hughes.

"Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to the third day of the Tournament! Today's challenge is a survival scavenger hunt! Each team has a scroll in front of them. Which has their directions for this challenge. They'll be sent to a remote area and they must go to certain locations to retreat three keys that open a box. The box will return them all back here and the fastest to arrive wins first!" Said Merlin

Meanwhile, we see the gang in the security breakroom watching on a TV.

"Who do think will win this one?" Scarlet asked.

"Who else? Our school." Said Marcus.

"I don't know. Anyone can win." Said Jasper.

"You're lack faith disturbs me." Said Garry imitating Dark Vader with his hand over his mouth.

"Yeah, man! We gotta support our fellow students! SALEM! SALEM SALEM!" Violet shouted as she was on a table.

"Get off the table." Said Marcus.

"Let the challenge…begin!" Merlin shouted.

A horn went off as Ana, Nora, Alicia Faye grabbed their bags as the students ran through the portals in front of them. Ana, Daniel and Yuan arrive at a mountain range, Team North Winchester arrive at a swampy area, Team Thunderbird arrive at a beach shore and team San Teresa arrive at the tundra. Ana immediately started to shiver from the cold, while Yuan and Daniel didn't seem to be bothered.

"I wish I would've brought something thicker to cover me. But I guess my uniform's coat will do." Said Ana with her arms covering herself.

"Here." Said Daniel as he held his coat to Ana.

"Are you sure?" Ana asked.

"I can handle it." Said Daniel.

"Thank you, Daniel." Said Ana.

"What a gentlemen. Okay, let's get this done quick! What does the scroll say?" Yuan asked.

Ana opened the scroll as there were text and map of the entire area.

"To find the three keys, you must fine three shines hidden within the mountains. And to find the box, you must reach a valley that is covered in field of flowers." Said Ana.

"The last part was a bit specific, but where in the hell are we going to fine these shrines? Also, Daniel's gone." Said Yuan.

"Daniel!?" Ana called.

"I'm still here. I'm looking around if I can spot on of the shrines. You guys think, while I do this." Said Daniel on higher ground.

"Keep at it, Daniel. First, let's figure out where we're at. If this looks familiar." Said Ana.

"A mountain range. Cold, but enough for you to handle. Some nice trees to hang around. (Sniffs) This scent I'm getting, it's familiar." Said Yuan.

"Really…?" Said Ana.

Daniel was looking around, until he saw a bridge that lead to a red gate. He noticed an abandon temple and as he was still looking, large apes were above his position as they looked angry. One of the ape hurled itself at Daniel, until Yuan ran up mountain and kicked the monkey away from Daniel as he was startled. Yuan and Daniel dropped down to where Ana was as she summoned her repeating shotgun.

"Great, are they your family?" Daniel asked.

"First off, they're apes! I'm from a clan of monkeys!" Yuan replied.

"Same difference." Said Daniel.

"There's fucking difference!" Yuan yelled.

"Focus! Yuan, can you communicate with them?" Ana asked.

"Uh, I can try. Ooh-ooh, ah-ah." Said Yuan, like a monkey.

Yuan took a step forward, but a bigger ape slammed it's fist down on the ground they stood and made it crack open. The three of them then started to fall down the mountain as they all screamed in their freefall.

"Nice one, jackass!" Said Daniel.

Ana looked down to see that they were high in the air, while Yuan was spinning around uncontrollably. Until Daniel grabbed him as he stopped spinning.

"Thanks." Said Yuan with dizzy eyes.

Daniel then moved towards Ana and grabbed onto her, as he acted as a shield for her.

"I'll protect you if we hit the ground." Said Daniel.

"No need for that. Hold tight to me!" Said Ana.

She summoned a grappling gun and fired it into the mountain. It latched onto the mountain as they both hit the mountain side. Daniel's feet then changed as his toes grew sharp claws. His claws dug into the mountain as he carried Ana and ran up towards a cliff. Daniel jumped onto a nearby cliff as they tumbled cross the ground. Ana was on top of Daniel, while he was still trying to shield her.

"Oof, not the best landing. But thanks, Daniel." Said Ana.

"No need." Said Daniel as he was still holding onto her.

"You can let go." Ana giggled.

"Sorry." Daniel replied as he blushed.

They then heard the apes running down towards them as they both got up and ran. Yuan summoned a red bo staff as he held it sideways as it magically extended far and impelled into the mountains as Yuan made a long, but thin bridge with his staff as he hung onto it.

"Whoa, that's a drop." Said Yuan.

But he then heard the apes as some of the apes landed on his bo. The walked on it as they made their way to Yuan as he swung himself up and balanced himself on his staff.

"Alright, bring it!" Said Yuan.

An ape threw itself at Yuan as he jumped and spin kicked it away, falling downwards. More apes ran on the pole, while some jumped at him from above. Yuan smirked as he showed off his monkey tail. He wrapped his tail around the staff and hung under it as the apes missed him or fell off. Yuan grabbed onto the staff and threw himself at an ape, kicking it in the face and knocking it away. But he then saw a troop of apes heading towards them as Yuan gave a panicked look.

"Yuan! Head over to that gate!" Ana shouted.

"Got it!" Yuan shouted.

Yuan made his staff shrink back to normal as he pointed it at an ape that jumped at him. He made it extend, hitting the monkey and launching him towards the gate. Yuan landed far off onto where the gate was and saw an old temple. He looked back as he saw Daniel and Ana making their way to him. But some of the apes threw rocks at them, until one of them hit Daniel on the head. It broke into pieces as it only annoyed Daniel as he clenched his fist. He then slammed the side of his fist into the mountain, cracking as it made the apes unbalanced. They soon reached the temple as Yuan and Daniel stood together.

"Go ahead and get the key." Said Daniel.

"We'll keep them back." Said Yuan.

"Alright. I'll shot a flare to signal you guys to run." Said Ana.

Ana ran into the temple as Yuan stood ready with bo staff, while taken on his humanoid-monkey form. He had brown fur and red irises. Daniel's body was covered in a demonic aura that was blue and red as he had two horn like flames on the forehead. Back at the arena, Lilith was surprised by Daniel's form as Abe noticed it too.

"He doesn't have a demonic form?" Said Lilith asked.

"No. From what Ana told me, he has a seal place on him. The more of his demonic power he uses, the hard it is from to control himself. That is just a portion of his power." Said Abe.

"Now that I think if it. Ana has a lot of powerhouses in her team, huh?" Said Christine.

"C'mon you bastards!" Daniel yelled.

"You want make a game out of this? Who can take out the most of these apes?" Yuan asked.

"You're going to lose." Said Daniel.

"Oh-ho-ho! Now that's the spirit!" Said Yuan.